The present invention generally relates to fasteners, and more specifically relates to a fastener system that has a compression-limiting sleeve effectively attached to a fastener.
In a fastener application where there is a need to limit compression, a conventional fastener system provides that a compression limiting member, such as a stamped sleeve or bushing, is staked to a threaded fastener. The sleeve or bushing, with the threaded fastener staked thereto, is then inserted into a hole which is provided in a first workpiece, and subsequently the fastener is threaded into a threaded bore which is provided in a second workpiece. This secures the first workpiece to the second workpiece, and provides that the sleeve or bushing absorbs compressive forces that otherwise would have to be absorbed by the first workpiece.
Disadvantages of such a fastener system include the fact that staking requires a secondary operation. Additionally, stamping the sleeve or bushing results in significant scrap and provides that tolerances cannot be closely controlled. Furthermore, the system does not readily provide that the column strength of the sleeve or bushing can be changed merely by altering the wall thickness or hardness of the sleeve or bushing.